Riding and Slashing

Chapter 216 The Disliked White Hart Castle

In fact, the tax requirements issued by various countries to their lords are not an order, but a kind of... business.

In Pendor Continent, things like national taxation are quite serious.

Because it represents dominion.

A country that truly fully owns a piece of land and people is called a 'country'. Whether it is a kingdom, a principality, or an uncle, only when a country is established and recognized can it be considered as complete ownership of this piece of land.This can be understood as having full ownership, and the sign is that you don't have to pay taxes to anyone anymore.

And the lord who is loyal to others, no matter how high the title is, can only be regarded as having the right to use his territory.

The same count, the Count of Mettenheim and the Count of Leon are two completely different concepts.

Mettenheim is an independent earl country. Earl Guderian and his subordinates have complete ownership of Eisenberg Island, while Li Ang and his friends currently only have the right to use its territory.

The reason why it is called the right of use is because it still needs to pay taxes to the superior lord.

This is like a kind of rent, or like a management fee that the branch company needs to hand over to the group company.

Li Ang's superior lord is the king, but although the king doesn't have to pay taxes to others, he is not actually the owner of the entire kingdom.

Because building a country cannot be accomplished by one person—it requires the efforts of many people.

Therefore, a country is not actually owned by the king's family, but shared by all nobles, which belongs to the nature of a group company.

The aristocrats merged their companies into the group to jointly occupy a larger market and benefit together. This nature is no different from that of ordinary group companies.

The king is the chairman and general manager of the group company, and the nobles are all shareholders and heads of branch companies. In fact, everyone is a noble lord, and there is no distinction between superior and inferior in essence.

It's just that the chairman and general manager will issue company decisions on behalf of the board of directors and lead everyone's work, which is a different function.

The lords obtained new land and population by means of development or war, and gained more territories in this way. This is like the business of the branch company has grown stronger.

As a result, some branches have become more important and have a higher proportion of voice in the group, but they still belong to the group; the boss of the branch, no matter how strong his wings are, still holds a position in the group.

Since you are working in the group, you should of course obey the group management and perform your work obligations according to the agreement.

Probably the biggest difference from ordinary companies is just that there are some differences in the content of the work...

The content of these tasks is to respond to wars and complete taxation.

The title of the lord is different, and the standards that need to respond to the war are different.

According to the regulations of the Sarleon Kingdom, when the country issues a call-up order, the baron must provide ten to forty knights or corresponding troops depending on his ability; the earl needs to provide forty to eighty knights, which is a war obligation.

The specific standards will have specific requirements according to the scale of the war.

According to the current situation of the Sarleion Kingdom, a knight usually corresponds to five to six soldiers - the number of knights in the Sarleion Kingdom is relatively large among the countries in the Pendor Continent.

In other words, when a country encounters a war, a baron must bring at least 50 people to battle, and an earl must bring at least 200 people to battle.

Of course, the nobles can also take the initiative to improve their work standards - the baron can also bring 2000 people to take the initiative to fight for the country's territory. This is an additional investment in the branch company in order to obtain more shares and the right to speak.

War is the most important job, just like a core project. Everyone knows that if the core project is not done well, the company is likely to suffer huge losses or even go bankrupt...

Another important job of the lords is to collect taxes, which belongs to the scope of daily work, and is roughly the same as the logic of branch companies paying operating management fees to the group headquarters.

A group company must have a lot of operating expenses, and of course the operating expenses of the entire group cannot be borne by the general manager's company alone, and each branch company also needs to bear part of it.

Just like a general group company, the group boss assigns corresponding tasks on behalf of the board of directors, and most of the time this task will definitely be discussed with the senior executives.

Everyone will discuss their respective tasks according to the budget, and then each branch will complete them on time - the same is true for the country's taxation.

For branch bosses who are unable to pay management fees on time, the group headquarters can of course question their sincerity and ability, and may try to replace or evade—if it can be done.

Of course, if the person in charge of the branch has any objection to the standard of the management fee, it can indeed be renegotiated.

In fact, when the kingdom's tax officials come to announce the tax standard, it is negotiable. This is not an order, but a bargain.

This is also the reason why the tax officer will announce the standard half a month before the harvest period, just to discuss a reasonable plan with the local lord.

Business is all negotiated.

It's just that the transportation is inconvenient these days, and it's impossible to call all the lords to Sarleon City for a meeting, so the tax officials are usually asked to go to various territories to talk.

Of course, negotiation always requires confidence. If you really can’t reach an agreement in the end, you still have to implement the management fee that should be implemented. You can’t lose the territory, right?
At least in name, the national tax quota should indeed be subject to national arrangements.

However, the tax amount of the national tax is only a total amount requirement, just like the group has given a task target to the branch, so of course the branch will also issue a target to each business department.

In fact, most of the lords did the same, apportioning the total tax amount to the various knights under their command, and assigning tasks to the knights. Anyway, the wool comes from the sheep.

It's just that when apportioning, the lords will also add the local tax amount, usually some more.

On the one hand, the tax will be raised anyway to offend the knights under him, so simply add a little more. Anyway, adding [-]% ​​and [-]% will make the subordinates unhappy. There is no difference...

On the other hand, there will be some leeway when assigning targets, so as not to lose money if the subordinates fail to complete the task...

Therefore, when it comes to the specific tax collection of the knights, the tax quota becomes very heavy, and the lower the level, the more it is a mandatory order, and there is basically no need to talk about it at the grassroots level.

The knights don't think about national tax or local tax. They collect it together. For them, this is to fulfill the lord's request.

The tax rates in the territory originally had fixed standards, and random changes could easily cause turmoil. The common ones are poll tax, agricultural tax, commercial tax and other taxes.

But in order to increase the total amount, the knights will increase many types of taxes in the name of the king and lord, and sometimes in the name of the goddess...

Such as war tax, goddess tax, sacrifice tax, road and bridge tax, birth tax, excrement tax, chicken and duck tax... everything.

Of course, most knights are not stupid, they still have to live in the same village as the common people in the territory, and they still need a reputation.

And they are the ones who directly face the civilians...

So they will say that all taxes are the meaning of the king and the superior lord, saying that everything is the request of the above, and it has nothing to do with them. If there is a problem, they will go to the king to find the lord...

As a result, those who got a bad reputation were 'ruthless kings' and 'greedy nobles', and most of the knights were 'helpless'...

Commoners will also hate the king and higher lords more.

The reason why the knights have to increase the amount of taxation is similar to that of the nobles. Anyway, the common people are dissatisfied with the increase in taxes, so they should be more ruthless and save more for themselves.

That is to say, when the national tax increases, the local tax will increase even more—once for the lords, and again for the knights.

Just like when the performance task of each company falls to the various executive departments...

The task index given by the group was originally 100, but the branch will increase it to 200, and the department will increase it to 400, and it will become 800 when it falls on the employees.

But in fact, what was handed over to the group was still 100...

So there will be a leverage phenomenon in taxation:
When the national tax only collects 5% of the per capita annual income of ordinary people, the total tax that ordinary people need to pay accounts for about 50% of the annual income, that is, the land tax accounts for 45%;

When the national tax reaches 10% of the per capita annual income of ordinary people, the total tax amount that ordinary people have to pay will account for 75% of the annual income, and the proportion of land tax will rise to 65%;

When the national tax reaches 25%, even if the common people use all their income to pay taxes, it is still not enough...

The national tax will leverage the final taxation like a lever.

And 5 dinars per capita is roughly equivalent to 25% of the average annual income of ordinary people in Pande.

This kind of tax amount, most of the territories will not accept it, and dare not accept it-experienced lords know what will happen.

But Li Ang himself is not short of money, and the new territory he got is a relatively rich place like Changhe Town. It is not surprising that the tax officials of the Kingdom will ask him for a higher tax amount, so the lord did not intend to negotiate the price, so as not to increase the trouble. .

He also has the ability to pay his taxes without greatly burdening the common people.

But White Hart Castle is different, the border area is responsible for the security of the country... It is really rare that the kingdom asks for five times the heavy tax on such a place.

Before the tax amount was determined, the tax officer couldn't do anything to blackmail him. After all, Malbert could go to Sarleon City to negotiate the price directly with the king. He didn't need to pay attention to the tax officer until a consensus was reached.

"White Hart Castle also charged so heavily... Is this King Ulrik's intention? To impose heavy taxes on the eastern region? What effect will this have? Let the lords go to Sarleon City to waste time negotiating with him ? This will only tarnish his own reputation..."

The lord also felt a little baffled. This tax target is not a mandatory order, so why raise such a high price to make people angry?

"Who knows... Maybe His Majesty is short of money, maybe he thinks there will be no foreign enemies... I heard that the tax you received in Changhe Town is also very high, right?"

Malbert's news is quite well-informed, he shook his head and gestured with his palm: "It's also five times the past?"

"That's right, five times... So, he is really short of money..."

Li Ang shook his head. It seems that the king set five times the tax rate for everyone in the eastern region, which was obviously intentional.The lords in the east happened to be new fiefdoms, and their foothold is not yet stable...

Malbert sighed: "But I heard that you have already subscribed... In this way, if I refuse this tax amount, I'm afraid it's not appropriate..."

"Malbert, I will accept such a tax amount only because I can afford it..."

Li Ang understood what Malbert meant. If he accepts the high tax this time, I am afraid that many lords in the eastern region will have to accept it—his status is different, and many lords in the east will regard him as a weather vane !
"Yeah, you can afford it, but I can't afford it... If I accept this amount of tax and ask my subordinates to collect it accordingly, I'm afraid I won't live for a month. So, at this time, I transfer the territory to the Those who pay taxes, the King and the House of Lords should agree..."

Malbert took out a document from his arms: "This is the transfer agreement."

"But that person can't be me, Malbert, you should be able to tell...the king doesn't want me to stay in White Hart Castle."

The lord shook his head again.

"Of course it's not you... What I mean is, I can transfer White Hart Castle to Miss Amy - I will exchange White Hart Castle for the shares in Lord Godric's hands, and convert these shares into those shops and businesses in the Northwest Region , and Lord Godric will 'break away from the cooperative relationship' with you. I think this is just in line with the wishes of you and Lord Godric, and it also just matches the scene you played..."

There was a smile on Malbert's face: "After all, the two of you have 'fallen out', so Lord Godric will no longer cooperate with you, which is normal! And he has had feelings for him in White Hart Castle for so many years , let his daughter take White Hart Castle back from me, which is also normal... The king and the House of Lords will agree, and Amy is the king's niece..."

"What you said makes sense..."

The lord nodded and laughed.

Malbert was really smart. Not only did he realize so quickly that it would be no good for him to get White Hart Castle, but he also guessed what Li Ang and Godric were about to do, so he took the initiative to come to Li Ang for a deal in advance.

——If he trades at this time, he can get the maximum benefit, and he can choose what he wants.

When he was in danger in White Hart Keep, such as the Bacchus Empire attacking or the Noldor 'trouble', or high taxes led to riots, White Hart Keep was worthless.

Not entangled in the territory, but trying to get the most benefits for themselves. Malbert and Brennus are really father and son.

In fact, Li Ang's original plan was to let White Hart Castle encounter an 'enemy invasion' after a while, and then let Amy take the opportunity to buy White Hart Castle from Malbert with Godric's shares...

But I didn't expect King Ulric to set up a high national tax, which directly frightened Malbert away. He wanted to exchange the unprofitable White Hart Castle for those casinos in the Northwest Region, so this business would be fine. Do.

"Then... as you wish, Malbert."

The lord doesn't care too much about tax issues. In his opinion, problems that can be solved with money are not big problems.

After all, his bank was about to open.

Moreover, the increase in the tax rate of the entire kingdom may not be a bad thing for Li Ang...

……

White Hart Castle.

In the center of the castle, there is already a solid stone building with a huge signboard - Pendor Bank.

The emblem used is also very straightforward, it looks like a gold coin surrounded by rice ears...

It is named after Pendor, of course because this is the continent of Pendor.

Although Li Ang has obtained Changhe Town, he has not moved the bank headquarters there, and still stays in White Hart Castle.

Changhe Town just set up a business point next door to Changhe Express, barely considered a branch.

Amy also came back before the bank opened.

She signed an agreement with Malbert, came back to take over her territory, and brought back news of Eagle Claw Castle and Darkfalcon Castle by the way.

Things are going well, and Amy brings back mostly good news.

The Eagle Claw Fort has been rebuilt by the captives, and two hundred female soldiers have cleared up the surrounding security, and some civilians have begun to move to the Eagle Claw Fort.

Countess Valera's name is very popular in Beibu Gulf. In fact, Amy herself has a legend now...

There is a news circulating in various villages and towns in the North Bay, saying that Amy is the soul rebirth of Countess Valera. This female knight is carrying a new falcon claw, doing exactly the same deeds as Valera, and Still a royal knight...

A true royal knight indeed, Amy now wears the fleur-de-lis flag.

But Amy is not the knight under Leon and Godric, but the guardian knight of Princess Felina. This is the inheritance of Godric himself. used.

Amy didn't need the blank document that Li Ang sent her, so she took the blank document as a promise to the female soldiers, and Amy would directly write the names of the female soldiers who made contributions.

That is a knightly conferment document jointly signed by the two military chiefs of the eastern region and the northern region. It is more reliable than any knight order. Therefore, the attraction of this new falcon claw may be stronger than that of Valera's time. be bigger...

Sarah used that blank paperwork to recruit people before, and wherever she went, there was so much enthusiasm, it could even be said to be an audition scene.

Amy now has 400 people under her command. If she hadn't stopped recruiting in time, it would not be impossible to recruit thousands of people. However, in order to maintain the good habit of one-to-one ratio between the old and the new, Amy did not blindly expand the number of people.

In fact, Amy is a princess herself, and she has surrendered her status as a female knight.

But it was her wish to be a lord like Valera after all, and she seems to have achieved it...

She has now become the real lord of White Hart Castle, which seems to be stronger than Valera's Eagle Claw Castle.

"Li Ang... Tsk tsk, if the Earl doesn't move the bank headquarters to Changhe Town, is he planning to do bad things in my territory?"

Amy seemed to be very happy, and she was actively joking with Li Ang.

"I'm a recognized honest person...how could I do bad things?"

The lord's face was full of shock: "Amy, who do you think I am?"

"Honest man? It didn't say that outside... I heard that you were beaten by my father right after I came back? Ah ha... I also heard that there are so many beautiful women around you? And you became a famous prostitute?"

Amy looked at Li Ang's face with a smile.

In fact, the wound on his face had healed long ago, and nothing could be seen at all.

"Ahem, that's all acting... Didn't Lord Godric tell you?"

Li Ang smiled awkwardly.

"He said you were playing tricks on the occasion—but this word doesn't sound like a good word...Leon, you have to reassure the king, I understand...but, what should I do now? Am I not going to be able to appear by your side anymore? ?”

Amy was still smiling, but there seemed to be some worry in her words.

"This……"

The lord was stunned for a moment: "Amy, what are you worried about?"

"I'm worried... I... Well, my father said he was retiring and was going to take my mother and brother to Eagle Claw Castle, but he let me come to White Hart Castle alone."

Amy started to pull her hair, straighten it, curl it, wrap it around her fingers, straighten it again, curl it again...

"You are the lord of White Hart Castle... What's the problem? Didn't you manage White Hart Castle by yourself before?"

The lord was a little confused.

"In the past...it was the two of us at White Hart Castle..."

Amy sighed, and walked away worriedly, with her mouth curled up and her hair pulled.

She had her long hair hanging down her back now instead of coiling it up as usual.

(End of this chapter)